FEATURE:
Equalization
PHOTO CREDIT: @www_erzetich_com/Unsplash
The Lack of Female Producers: Encouraging More Women into the Studio
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ONE music news piece caught my eye…
IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa
the other day, that once again raised to the surface a big problem in music: the lack of female producers. Dua Lipa has just released her album, Future Nostalgia, and she is already planning another album whilst in lockdown. This NME article caused me to reflect and question:
“Dua Lipa has stated that she wants to work with more female producers in future, saying that all-male studio environments can be “intimidating” for younger artists.
Speaking to GQ, the singer admitted that no female producers were involved in the recording of ‘Future Nostalgia’, but remains optimistic that could change on her next album.
“Hopefully in the future I would be able to work with more of them,” Lipa said. “I just, in all honesty, don’t know very many. And I really wish I did, because I would really take the time to sit down and hone in a sound with women.”
The ‘Physical’ singer previously worked with female producers on her debut album, including Emily Warren and Caroline Ailin, who co-wrote ‘New Rules’, and Sarah Hudson, who co-wrote ‘Genesis’, and cited their collaboration as a positive experience.
“They really helped me come into myself and be able to write things that come from the heart,” Lipa explained. “My very, very closest friends are all girls. I always feel it’s easier to talk to girls and I’m more open around female energy. Maybe if women in general had a little bit more of that in studios it wouldn’t feel so intimidating to begin with.”
The singer also stated that she was less confident expressing herself with male producers when she first started, as she “felt these people had been doing it for longer than me”.
We all know that there is a pay gap in the music industry that favours men. From songwriters through to producers, men are being paid more. Some more say that higher pay reflects quality and success and, because there are fewer female songwriters and producers hitting the top-ten and being behind huge albums, men deserve more money. I think that is a faulty logic. Look at the best albums from the past couple of years, and you will see women dominating. I think the pay gap is a reason why a lot of women are reluctant to step inside the studio as producers, but there is also, for many, the feeling that the studio is male-dominated. I do think that most male producers are respectful and open to working alongside female producers, but it must be intimidating for women to enter a profession that is so male-dominated. I can understand where Dua Lipa is coming from. Whilst there are a lot of female artists who produce their own work, how many female producers are there? This recent Billboard article highlights some shocking statistic (click on the link as there is a video included that shed more light:
“Did you know, in 2019, only 2% of popular music was produced by women? The disconcerting statistic from last year's Annenberg Initiative study is the focus of a powerful new video from the Recording Academy and She Is the Music, in conjunction with the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, and it's premiering exclusively on Billboard above.
PHOTO CREDIT: @jesmanfabio/Unsplash
The clip physically represents the data through a 50-person, all-female ensemble choir featuring Loyola Marymount University singers. The group belts Alicia Keys' "Underdog" -- at first all together, but over the course of the video, the women begin to slowly sit down to symbolize the percentage of male-produced songs. At the end, only a single woman -- the 2% -- is left to sing alone.
The video is part of the #WomenInTheMix initiative, which promotes opportunities for female producers and engineers. When the initiative was launched a year ago, in February 2019, approximately 200 employers and creative decision-makers agreed to get onboard, but over the past year, there are now well over 650 employers who have joined. As seen in USC's latest Annenberg Initiative study released last month, the number of female producers has now jumped from 2% to 5% -- encouraging numbers for "Underdog" singer/songwriter Alicia Keys, who co-founded She Is the Music in 2018 along with Jody Gerson, Sam Kirby Yoh and Ann Mincieli.
"When there are more women in the mix -- magic happens,” Keys tells Billboard. “We all have more work to do to bring female creative energy, talent and heart into the studio too.” Fellow artist and activist Brandi Carlile adds: “I know from personal experience that, to truly move the music industry forward, we need to make a clear effort to engage and empower women. Artists and studios should commit fully to initiatives such as Women in the Mix, which help ensure representation and gender diversity in all aspects of music making -- from the stage to the studio”.
PHOTO CREDIT: @jonathanvez/Unsplash
It is true that, when women are in the mix, something magical happens. I am not suggesting male producers have limited perspective and a way of working, but female producers can offer a fresh perspective and dynamic. I personally feel more comfortable around women, and I find I am more open and less anxious. I think a lot of musicians will feel the same way, and I do think psychology and personal interaction between musicians and a producer is something not often explored. What is the reason behind the lack of women in the studio? Some feel they will not be listened to because they are a woman and, with so few women in the studio, it is a very odd situation. There are women who want to produce but, looking at statistics, it is daunting to consider being a producer with so few female peers. There are long and unsociable working hours, so there is that to consider. For women who are mothers or want to become mothers, they might not be able to commit to these long and rigorous hours. I think the pay gap is another reason why there are relatively few women in the studio. In the case of Dua Lipa and other artists looking to work with female producers, there are some wonderful producers out there. Catherine Marks is someone I have a lot of respect for, and she has produced for the likes of Frank Turner and The Big Moon. Olga Fitzroy, Lauren Deakin Davies and Rhiannon Mair are brilliant producers, and are helping to pave the way for other women in the industry.
IN THIS PHOTO: Catherine Marks
I want to source from an article I found on The Culture Trip that looked at Dance and Electronica, and how these are areas where there are more women in production roles – Pop and the mainstream is still struggling to recruit more women. The article also spoke with Catherine Marks and Olga Fitzroy, as they shared their experiences:
“More female producers are emerging now, especially in dance and electronica—although the pop scene, where the charts are still dominated by manufactured bands, has a lot of catching up to do. “In pop music, it is pretty much 100 per cent male-dominated, but there are definitely more on the underground scene … hopefully that will leak into the mainstream one day,” Ronika says.
When Olga Fitzroy studied music and sound recording at the University of Surrey, she was one of just a handful of women on the course. She now works as a recording and mix engineer for the likes of Coldplay, Daughter, and The Streets. Olga blames gender stereotypes for preventing women from seeing music production as a viable career path. “I think it’s to do with social conditioning; the way we’ve been brought up,” she says. “A boy is given more technical toys to play with and encouraged to build things, whereas girls’ toys are more dolls and kitchens.”
There’s also the issue of the working conditions in the music business, which normally involve long, unsociable hours—even more of problem when women become mothers and have to balance their family life with work. Fitzroy says this is something she was worried about before becoming a mum. “Being freelance, I have got a bit more control of the hours that I work than I did when I was employed as an assistant, and in a way it’s quite good because it forces me to be a bit more choosy about the work I take on. At the moment, I think the balance is working out OK, but the hours I work are so varied, and my son is constantly changing. I know I can’t be complacent about it. I think it will always be a challenge.”
During her career, Marks has worked with bands like Foals, Kanye West, MIA, PJ Harvey, and Wolf Alice. “The studio system is still a really good system, but that’s just one approach. I think that kind of technology being more accessible is allowing women who have felt that they’re uncomfortable in a studio environment to do it on their own,” she observes. But the answer isn’t just to hide away in your bedroom; collaboration is the key. “There’s a lot of other things involved in producing, especially for other people, and the best way to learn that is from other people.”
Music as an industry has struggled when it comes to sexual equality—not just in production. Women make up just 30% of senior executive roles in the UK music industry, even though they make up more than 60% of interns and 59% of entry-level business roles, according to figures from the UK Music Diversity Survey. As more women enter the business, more girls will begin to see this as a viable career path, and that cycle will continue until gender ratios are more representative of the population at large”.
I do think that more of a spotlight needs to be shone on women in production roles. I feel artists like Dua Lipa are helping to raise awareness but, as there are some terrific female producers around, I feel more artists should be working with them.
IN THIS PHOTO: Olga Fitzroy/PHOTO CREDIT: Blake Ezra
Although female producers are in the minority, if we see their names credited on big albums, it will give heart and hope to young women who want to become producers. More artists need to speak out and highlight a clear discrepancy. I also think that, when more women are encouraged into the studio, this will help redress the balance; women will see other women in the studio and, as such, they will feel safer and less isolated themselves. Women are sexualised and viewed as less talented; there are these stereotypes and prejudices that are holding back development. I feel that, as mentioned, the dynamic between men and women is different. A female producer can offer a new voice and approach, and it is a shame that the studio is so male-heavy. Despite the fact there is a gulf between female-male producers, there are steps and schemes in place to tackle the problem. This article from last year that highlights some great initiatives:
“In addition to noting the barriers facing women in music, the study also offers solutions and highlights the work of different organizations to improve the numbers for women. For women creators, the work of She Is The Music, an organization dedicated to amplifying women's voices is highlighted. She Is The Music runs songwriting camps and offers mentorship opportunities. For producers and engineers, Spotify's EQL Studio Residency program, an opportunity that provides mentorship and work experience in three recording studios, is another way to improve the numbers. With the pipeline in mind, the report cites the need to highlight role models in music. The For The Record Collective is a call to action for inclusion that will feature a first-of-its-kind collection of EPs, docuseries and live events with music produced, written and engineered by women”.
PHOTO CREDIT: @yohannlibot/Unsplash
There are so many terrific female songwriters and producers but, as many are not in the mainstream or D.I.Y., they are not getting the same exposure as some of their peers. I also think, because so many artists are self-producing, we assume there are very few great female producer; in actuality, they are not working out of studios, but at home. Also, many of the big studios and labels are run by men, they are less likely to address the gender balance compared to women in roles of power – that may seem all-sweeping but, largely, it is true. I realise there are problems with inequality right through the musical chain that extends to festivals, the charts and in offices, so there does need to be a concerted effort to improve the situation. I feel that, if an artist like Dua Lipa worked with female producers on her next album, that would not only bring something new from her work, but it would spotlight some terrific women who could then work with other big artists. From there, I feel women coming through would feel more confident. It will not be an easy fix, but the continuing problem regarding gender inequality in the studio is worrying. Change and balance will not be easy, but I do feel something needs to happen to change the current reality. Having such a male-saturated studio is depressing to see and problematic when we consider the next generation of women producers. As much as anything, having more women in the studio is a hugely positive thing and will lead to…
IN THIS PHOTO: Producer Sylvia Massy has worked with the likes of System of a Down and the Red Hot Chili Peppers
A much stronger and more interesting industry.